The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-12
SATURDAY AALf HOLIDAY.
HOW 1T Is OBSERVED In The
LEADING CITIES.
Reports From All Parts Of the C0un.
IRA Custom That Is Grow
Ing Daily.
ESPECIAL TO rHs ArrrAL.i

legal half holiday, simply provided
that the State, county aud city offices
should be closed at noon on Saturday, |
and that all ordinary kinds Of business
shosld stop then. No restriction what.
ever was placed on general trade, and
the whole matter OF shortening hours,
save as was affected by the closing |
OF the banks, was left where II had
been all along, in the hands OF the en-
ployers themselves. The advocates Of |
the bill proceeded on the theory that
merely to call saturday afternoon 10.
gal half holiday, was to place II as safely |
beyond the clutch OF commerce the
whole year round as Christmas or the
Fourth Of July. This has not been
the case; there has been no general
stopp,ge Of business through the city.
To the majority Of workmen, skilled
and unskilled, factory hands, artisans
who are paid by the day or piece, aud
MOI by salaries, the half holiday means
merely the loss Of q half days gay.
The new law, therefore, benefits chief.
ly the salaried employees and shop girls
In wholesale and retail business
houses Searching heat and b isteripg
pavemenls are f1rceiul Arguments for
q holiday, aud 1t was the good for
tune Of tho bill 10 como In
With the dog days. With everything
TO favor II and nothing to oppose, the
movement scored bloodless vic DRY.
To day there Ia hardly a high class
business house, wholesale or retail,
open on Saturday afternoon, and for
six or eight weeks 10 come the wisdom
OF the reform will not be called into
serious question. The full test has yet
10 be made. With the adye 1t OF
October and November, when business
booms again there will be trouble. The
employers naturally are against the
innovation the year round, and day
laborers ard piece workers az q whole
are Indifferent or hostile. Saturday is
the shopping day OF the latter and
their habit Is 10 shop late. The cal.
aired clerks and hard.worked shop
girls are unit for a continuance for
the hali-holiday. Exact figures are
wanting an to how many people a'e
enjoying the extra halliday In New
York city. The Hali.holidsy Assc ella.
tons figures for the fret Saturday
under the new law were $4,000 This
was In May and scarcely more than 40
per cent. Of the stores that
c'oee now we're observing the
custom then. A couserva-
tive estimate would pace the number
oil employee who now get of at noon
ut about 10000. IL Ia cafe 10 cay that
the majority OF the working girls
spend the half holiday at their own
homes in sewing aud other occupa
tions, Which ~ rule they are Too
tired TO take up after q hard and full
days work. The men, on the other
hand, Utilize II for the most 7 art for
purposes Of recreation. The racea at
Shee pshead Bay, the base ball at the
polo grounds, Ooney Island and the
other near by resorts are freely pat
ronis,d.
NJ. LouIs, No, Jsly 1.-THE Gus.
tom oil Saturday afternoon closing ID
becoming very general here, not by
reason II any systematic effort 10 in.
augurate IL, but b. cause Of the popu.
lAfiiy OF the movement. II has been
about hys years since Tow OF tho
leading Wholesale tirss ngreed 10 close
at 8 O'clock on Saturday during June,
July aud August The plan worked
10 admirably rom the start that the
example was H. wed, and the custom
became very much more wide spread
the second year During these two
first years Of experiment this role was
for the osrly closers 90 take theif usual
midday Lunch, but experiment proved
that lhe meal hour retarded the DIV
OF trade 10 an extent as 20 prevent
bu iners from Rsting under lull head
way again bsiore closing iime,S O'Clock.
The third summer the lunch was
omitted aud bushes, continued up 10
O'Clock when the doors were locked
No messing sas he'd 10 further the
scAume and nothing more thsn q plain
statement was circulated among the
mercl ants, The full bsnth, was not
attained until O'Clock was made the
Lour in the place Of 3. Employers
now are we'll pleased with the result.
They say the volume OF trade " fully
n great a. II ever was without incon.
ven!ente g. any one, clerks aud EN-.
ployes In all departments move along
brskly with their work and cell more
goods aud accomplish more work up
10 1 v'clock on Saturdays than upon
any other full day Of the week. The
public mskee no com laint but readily
accommodates i,seli to the new order
oithings.
Last summer the movement extend
cd 10 the MefcAanis's Exchange and
nearly ell the professional oflices oil
the city. This season more Of the 70
tail houses have accepted the plan
and me movement IL observed q
such an extent that the Custom
House and all the Government cfiice,
close ~ o'clock. TIE banks Dntlnu,
TO keep open until 3, but an effort Il
now being made % have them clcs,
NJ /. House builders and shop me
chsIics, however, continue 10 worn
the same numter VI hours on Satur
day a. on any other day, their work
inR hours heirg an average Of Mint
houfs, ~ fixed by tie labor agitatlot
Of last year This class ha. dicta,et
the number OF hous Il will work, ant
the pay they are 10 70
ceive. In 81. Louis the Tul,
Tor their compensation IN no mucl
money end 80 mary houp' work, ar,
th't1 is no Immediate prospect tina
they slll cuItail their present. incom,
by he IL a1gurAtion OF 4 bali holida,
o. shu day. should they show a lie
ponuon 10 DO NJ II Ia mors than prob
able that thti, employers would will
ingly met them hall xay, bul ,hs al
tor are not like y 10 take the initlator,
step, ~ the labor question has glyei
them 20 much trouble.
LoUnyu.LK, KY.
LouuyiLlK, XIV, July lin 1873
the hfad IA department Of A Wbols
sale dry 700 \ house here. ON teinyn
Ing lrlm New York, whore he had IN
.aaNa N..N A